AT Europe: Paris - A Colorful Makeover for a Haussmanian Apartment from Christophe D'Aboville

It's unusual to see this amount of color in a Haussmanian apartment, which is most often a study in muted tones. Madame Figaro magazine has before and after photos of a classic Haussmanian apartment that was reborn in technicolor thanks to Christophe D'Aboville, the artistic director of David Hicks France.

More photos of the makeover can be found on the Madame Figaro website here. To see the slideshow, click here.

- Kristin Hohenadel blogging from rue Vieille du Temple, Paris, France. She can be reached at kristinh @ apartmenttherapy . com

Comments (13)

something is wrong -- the ads from the right sidebar are covering the post, and the link to Madame Figaro does not work...

...aside from that, the green looks very 1971

posted by mschatelaine on May 16th 2008 at 4:11am
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Looking into it...

posted by Kristin Hohenadel on May 16th 2008 at 4:31am
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I found it... http://madame.lefigaro.fr/deco/en-kiosque/1287-avant-apres-changement-de-decor

And then click on "Diaporama" (Upper left under the photographs)

I love the colours that were selected and how vibrant it all looks, but it is rather unfair from an editorial stand point to showcase the before photographs in black and white.

I am in love with the desk. I can not stand Proust.

posted by La loca on May 16th 2008 at 4:31am
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Wow! I love it, but I don't think I could live with all that color.

posted by jooly on May 16th 2008 at 4:49am
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Living with all that expertly-executed color would have me smiling every day! I love the bright border around another bright color idea.

posted by olga on May 16th 2008 at 7:00am
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Now that's color!

posted by Doris loves art! on May 16th 2008 at 7:16am
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It's lovely. I like the red and pink room. Not my design type (I'm into the pale yellows and celadons and caramels with a little pink thrown in) but it's beautiful.

posted by kuroneko on May 16th 2008 at 7:34am
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Bold choices and cleverly executed. I wish they showed more than just two rooms though.

posted by Centelleo on May 16th 2008 at 8:11am
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Now THAT is how to use color. You have to admit - it takes a genius to pull this off.

posted by BillyRes on May 16th 2008 at 8:19am
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The before looks a bit stuffy and old fashioned, but I can't see anything about it that was so awful that it demanded such a drastic makeover (and I agree with La Loca that it is totally unfair to present only b/w photos). The new design just seems extreme for the sake of opposition to tradition (why paper over the salon mirror?) and the collection of every single trite spendy MCM furnishing looks tired and unimaginative to me. I would be very surprised if the owner lived with this strenuous scheme for more than a few years.

posted by amed studio on May 16th 2008 at 8:22am
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The pink room is exciting and the white breaks up the intense colors. The green room focal point is the wallpaper and the carpet is competing too much.

If the room were toned down a couple notches on the hue I think it might have worked. It's a bit much for me. I'd be anxious in that room.

colorthemes

posted by michelemorgan1 on May 16th 2008 at 8:51am
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Wow! I would have thought that the use of these colors would make the room look too cartoonish, but somehow they pulled it off making it look modern and elegant. Bravo!

posted by suzy8track on May 16th 2008 at 9:02am
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I love pink and green together! And I really like that shade of green.

posted by Caitlin in Seattle on May 16th 2008 at 8:59pm
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